Have you suffered discrimination at work?

Hi - I'm writing an article for the BBC News website on workplace discrimination against atheists. I have seen a few stories on this site about people who felt excluded by their co-workers or even lost their job after expressing their beliefs. I would like to talk to people who have been through such an experience. You can contact me directly - my email is brianwheelerbbc@gmail.com - or share your stories in this forum.

Brian Wheeler

BBC News, Washington

---------------------------------------

**Moderator's note: After our initial message of caution to all of you we've had an opportunity to confirm that Mr. Wheeler is indeed who he says he is. Knowing this, we'd like to encourage everyone to please share their stories of discrimination in the workplace with Mr. Wheeler. We shouldn't let the opportunity of a BBC News reporter telling the world the story of very real anti-atheist discrimination pass by! He is on a deadline so you must contact him as soon as you're able to.

(Anyone interested in confirming the legitimacy of this Moderator's note may contact Nelson either on TA or by email.)**

Replies to This Discussion

When I was younger I worked at a firm that was known for being a "Mormon" firm. I ended up working at this firm for five years but during that time I think many just assumed that I was one of the members of the "CLUB" as the non LDS workers would refer to it. There were divisions in the firm where if you weren't LDS you would never get anywhere and in fact I found out that many people with less experience who happened to be LDS were paid more then their non LDS co-workers. Thankfully for me I worked in a division that was under one of the token non LDS partners for most of the time so it wasn't as bad but I would be asked all the time about what ward (local LDS church) I went to and where I went on my mission. I remember being given The Book of Mormon no less then six times as "gifts" from concerned co workers who would tell me I was already a moral person so I should just join up. I had an office mate who was very cute and she was sorta of rebel by LDS standards that I shared an office with for a year and she would always try to convert me still. She always tried to invite me to church things and I always suspected that she was trying to use her self as a carrot on a stick to join which was kind of funny. I remember once mentioning that life is most likely not limited to the Earth in the universe and suddenly I was being told about the Mormon Jesus being from another world and that I was closer then I knew to the TRUTH. Lots of people had Jesus stuff all over their desks so I eventally picked up a Buddha and put on my desk just to give some of the gossip prone something to talk about. For about a year I had several people convinced that I was a Buddhist and it was kind of an inside joke with a few of my friends there. In any case I got even more flyers and stuff about LDS scripture.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation offers a whole bunch of different NON-TRACTS that you could use to 'salt' the desks of those laying stuff on yours.. Can't help but wonder about their reaction to them. :-)

Yeah thankfully I don't have to worry about that at my firm I'm with now. Couple of my friends and I used to think of things we could leave in the break room since some people kept leaving stacks of The Book of Mormon around. It would always be funny to find books about witch craft or what not that were left in there in the garbage.

It would be nice if someone would print in the book of Mormon, Mark Twain's opinion of it : Chloroform in print. Other than that, do what I did in Motel bibles : On the blank page at the beginning, I wrote : Once upon a time....:

@ Brian - Because some religious bafoons feel they have the right to walk around spouting their BS while on-the-job. It makes you want to blow and sometimes you do. I personally never "blew" at work but I came close.

i call it the '20 Questions', because many of them can't take a polite "i can't discuss that". all you do by not participating in their inquisition is create an itch, in them, they seemingly have no control over.

Hiya, I work at a place called Jason's Deli, I wont say exactly which one but its a state thats considered to be part of the bible belt. Surprisingly Jason's Deli is supposed to be a Christian but lol, I know better. My agnostic beliefs seem to fit in pretty well. Many of the people there like me who give to shits about religion. My last general manager was an atheist, however in all honesty he was outlined what I define as moronic atheist but all the same I suffered no oppression.